EAST OF EDEN
SERIES ADAPTATION ADS MIKE FAIST
After casting Florence Pugh and Christopher Abbott in the lead role, Netflix has added Mike Faist and our lovely Hoon Lee to the cast of EAST OF EDEN mini series adaptation of Steinbeck's classic novel produced by Zoe Kazan, whose grandad Elia directed the original film. Faist will play the 
role that was then played by James Dean. Set in California’s Salinas Valley over a period that stretches from the
Civil War to the end of World War I, the epic novel
tells the interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish
immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, lead by the
wealthy Adam Trask (to be played by Abbott in the seven part series).
role that was then played by James Dean. Set in California’s Salinas Valley over a period that stretches from the
Civil War to the end of World War I, the epic novel
tells the interconnected stories of the Hamilton family, an Irish
immigrant family with nine children, and the Trask family, lead by the
wealthy Adam Trask (to be played by Abbott in the seven part series). 
I've read the book and saw both the James Dean film version and the 1980s TV series. The film started about halfway through the book story and missed out a lot - including the Chinese man. James Dean was an interesting actor but I found the 1980s TV series truer to the book. I guess after 40 years it is time enough for a fresh adaptation. I hope they will respect the source material.
ReplyDeleteI imagine they won't, it will probably be very modern, and plus Florence Poo is not an actress I like, lack charisma and radiance, but I do love the chaps above.
DeleteI haven't seen FP in much. I didn't mind her in Little Women though not one of the actresses playing the March sisters. I'm British so I can't judge how accurate her American accent is. I can only tell the dodgy "English" accents. Merely Streep and Gillian Anderson and Sidse Babette Knudson do believable English accents but don't get me started on a certain French former Bond girl.
ReplyDeleteOh, I do not agree with you on Gillian and her accent, it is so mechanical that it always sounds so fake to me, like she learnt it with a speech instructor, and I also speak British like you, not American. I love Emily Blunts British accent, but she is indeed British and believably so.
DeleteConfounded predictive text - Meryl Streep not merely. Gillian Anderson spent some of her childhood years in England. I meant to say above that not one of the March sisters was played by an American in that version. Jane Seymour another English actress played the evil Cathy in the 1980s version...quite well I thought.
DeleteI haven't gone mad - when I referred to the March sisters I meant the 2019 version of Little Women and not the 1980s East of Eden.
DeleteI think Seymour has a new series coming up, forgot which one.
DeleteI am almost embarrassed to admit that I have never read the book or watched any screen versions of the story. I know it's widely popular. I may have to watch this so I can try to catch up with the masses.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of American literature of that era, so I haven't read it either. I did starts Grapes of Wrath and never finished it, probably should.
DeleteSame. There are quite a few of these popular books from that era that I just couldn't get into. I should try them again though. As we age and mature, I might have a different opinion of them now.
DeleteTrue that. I need to reread some of our classics too, but have no time as I review about ten books a month for our biggest publisher.
DeleteWe're just two busy bees. I'd love to read more, but I swear I'm only reading like 1 book a month these days. It used to be 2 or 3 a week.
DeleteI read four in last five days LOL I sent the translation and have not yet got anything new, so I had time to finish up all the review books. I had six sent to me just last week and now I have just two more to read.
DeleteThose are books you read for work. How many books do you get to read for pleasure anymore?
DeleteNone, haven't in four years or so, no time. And now it feels weird reading something without having to write a review for it, my mind no longer works in a relaxed mode.
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